Mortarboard cap and the like



July 14 1942- F. K. KRAG MORTARBOARD CAP ANDTHE kLIKE Filed Nov. 7,v 195s For: KPC'. :620, ,f4

Patented July 14, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in mortar-board caps, and the like, such as are used in graduation exercises, and various formal school and college and university functions, etc.

These` caps are provided with the usual crown portion which sets down over the skull, together with the top plate or mortar-board proper. This latter is flat, and of relatively large size and generally square. Assembled caps of this type are bulky and cumbersome to pack and ship, since they cannot be nested together due to the at mortar-board proper on the top of the crown. It has therefore been recognized as desirable to provide arrangements such that these caps can be taken apart, breaking them down into the mortar-board and the crown or skull portion. When so broken down or disassembled the mortar-boards may be packed flat together, and thus shipped in Very compact packages; and the skull portions may be nested together and likewise be brought into very compact packages for shipment. l

It should also be noted that generally the mortar-boards proper are made of a single size (or in any case, a very small number of sizes); whereas the skull portions are made of several sizes; so that by providing a construction which may be disassembled, and by providing suitable attaching means for connecting the parts together, such attaching means being standardized as to size and locations of the attaching devices, it is possible to connect any one of several sizes of skull portions to a given mortar-board. It thus becomes possible to lill an order for delivery of caps of various selected sizes by shipment of a lot of top or mortar-board portions all of the same size, and skull portions of selected lots and sizes according to the requirements of the order; and upon receipt of such shipment at destination the various tops and skull portions may be reassembled to provide the specified numbers of completed caps of speciiied sizes.

I-Ieretofore there have been provided knockdown or demountable mortar-board caps of the general type above referred to, but the means for attachment of the mortar-boards to the skull portions have been such that serious objections to such demountable caps have been lodged, and as a result they have not found favor to as large an extent as would otherwise have been the case. In one such form or type of construction with which I am familiar, there has been provided attaching means in the form of a pair of hinged clips on the at mortar-board which may be extended through suitable openings in the skull portion, and then turned or allowed to turn down parallel to the surface of the top of the skull portion, being held in such locking position by spring means, In another form of such attaching means there have been provided strips or lugs of pliable metal connected to the mortar-board portion, and which may be passed through the openings of the skull portion, and then bent over to secure the parts together. Itis noted, however, that both of these forms of device are such that the turning or bending of the connecting means takes place on or about axes parallel to the top surface of the skull portion, and also parallel to the mortar-board itself; so any force tending to disengage the parts from each other will act directly and in a direction tending to turn or bend such connecting means to the open position, with the result that the parts are not securely Connected together, and they frequently .become disconnected with embarassing and other results. In this connection it is noted that when the wearer makes an effort to adjust the mortar-board cap on his or her head, such adjustment is naturally made by application of a force t0 the brim of the mortar-board proper, and such force tends directly to pull the mortarboard proper from the skull portion, so that frequently the parts are ydisconnected during such an adjusting operation.

' The main object of the present invention is to provide a connecting means for the purposes set forth above, su-ch connecting means being so arranged that no amount of force exerted between the mortar-board proper and the skull portion, short `of a force sufficient to damage or destroy the parts, will or can serve to disconnect the parts from each other; the arrangement being such that such disconnection can only be eifected by proper manipulation of the connecting device itself to move it to the unlocking position.

Specifically it is an object to provide a connecting device which operates or is moved about an axis normal or at right angles to the top surface of the skull portion, and nbrmal to the surface of the mortar-board proper, so that a disconnecting or disengaging force exerted between thcse parts cannot possibly act to move such connecting device to the disengaged position. The movement of the connecting device either to engage or disengage it must be accomplished by a purposed or intended action on the part of the user, and cannot be accidentally accomplished in the manner heretofore objected to.

Still more specically it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement wherein the connecting element is pivoted to turn on an axis normal or transverse to the surface` of the mortar-board proper, so that when turned into the locking position it engages a companion element on the skull portion to lock the parts together; and when turned away from such position said pivoted part disengages from the companion part to release the parts from each other.

It is aV further object of the invention to provide a very simple form of device, one which can be made from sheet metal parts by simple manufacturing operations, and at low cost; one which will not readily get outl of order and will be very sturdy and durable; and one which can be manipulated by inexperienced persons without the use of special tools or the like.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations or parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an assembled mortar-board embodying the features of my present invention, being a view looking upwardly and at substantially forty-five degrees towards the cap;

Figure 2 shows a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and it shows the skull and mortar-board portions locked together;

Figure 3 shows a fragmentary face view of the lug plate which is secured to the under face of the mortar-board proper, being a view looking upwardly with the skull portion removed, or on the line 3-3 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 shows a view similar to that of Figure 3, but looking upwardly at the inside face of the skull portion, when attached to the mortar-board proper; and

Figure 5 shows a fragmentary section through one of the locking or securing devices, with the parts locked together, being taken on the lines 5-5 of Figures 3 and 4, looking in the directions of the arrows in said figures, and with the thicknesses of the parts exaggerated to emphasize the form and relationship of the parts.

In the drawing, the mortar-board proper is designated by the numeral I, It may be of conventional form, including a suitable stiff board backing or the like, covered by the usual broadcloth or similar covering material, and generally provided with a tassel, not shown. In certain of the figures the mortar-board is shown in section without indication of the fact that it may be made up from a number of sheets or layers, but this has been done merely for simplicity in illustration, and it will be understood that, since the exact construction of the mortar-board proper does not constitute a portion of the present invention such illustration is illustrative only.

The cap or skull portion is shown by the numeral II. It likewise may be made of any convenient construction, and generally is built up from a number of layers of material, and covered by suitable cloth material, and I have likewise shown this element in section without attempting to show the several layers of material of which it is composed, merely for purposes of simplicity in illustration.

The skull and mortar-board portions are to be connected together in detachable manner substantially at the position shown in the several figures, notably, Figures 1 and 2. The connecting means shown includes a small, generally a circular, plate I2 connected to the crown portion of the mortar-board at each point of connection of the skull portion thereto, there generally being two of these plates I2 located on a diagonal line across the mortar-board portion, since it is customary to so connect the skull portion to the mortar-board portion that the points of the mortar-board come front and rear and at both sides of the device. Each of these plates I2 is connected to the mortar-board in any convenient manner, as by means of the tines or prongs I3 which are forced through the material of the mortar-board proper and clinched over, this being done prior to application of the finishing material or materials to such mortar-board.

Each of these plates I2 is also punched or detreated to provide the L-shaped lug I4 which extends downwardly from the face of the plate I2 a sufficient distance to accommodate the thickness of the skull portion, and also the thickness of the locking plate presently to be described. Preferably the lugs I4 are slightly relieved at their outer ends as shown in Figure 5 so as to facilitate the locking engagement of the lock finger presently to be described. Also, it is preferred that the two plates I2 be applied to the mortar-board proper in such manner that their lugs I4 face in opposition to each other; that is, they may both face towards the center of the board as shown in Figure 2, or they might both face outwardly; but in either case such opposition of facing will prevent the locking devices presently to be described from slipping outwardly from the lugs, when the parts are locked together.

The skull or cap portion proper is also provided with the two plates I5, generally of circular form, and which are located on and connected to such skull or cap portion in alignment with the corresponding plates I2 of the mortarboard proper. Such fact is evident from Figure 2. Each of these plates I5 is also secured to the cap portion in any convenient manner, as by means of the tines or prongs I6 forced through the material of the cap portion, and clinched over; and this may also be done prior to application of the finishing materials to the cap portion. The plates I5 are preferably of substantially the same size as the plates I2 with which they register.

Each of the plates I5 is provided with a hole I1 of size to pass the corresponding lug I4 when the skull portion is assembled to the mortarboard proper, it being noted in this connection that such hole I'I should be located to one side of the center of such plate I5, as shown in Figure 4. There is a latch IB pivoted to each of the plates I5 at the side opposite to the hole I1 therein, such pivoting being conveniently accomplished by means of a small rivet I9. These latches are conveniently in the form of small circular segments as shown, s0 that their outer or arcuate ends are of considerable length or arc distance as shown. There is also preferably a small lug or finger piece 20 turned up from each of these latches as shown in Figures 4 and 5 so that they may be conveniently turned or rocked thereby.

With the foregoing arrangement it will be seen that to assemble the skull and mortar-board portions together it is only necessary to turn the latches out away from the holes I'I (clockwise in Figure 4), so as to completely uncover the holes, then set the skull and mortar-board parts together with the lugs I4 projecting through the holes I1, and then turn the latches counter-clockwise to bring them tight under the lugs, whereupon the parts will be locked together firmly; and it is found that by properly forming the lugs and latches, as shown, so that a slight wedging action takes place, such engagement will be very tightly and permanently performed, and prior to the time the finger pieces 20 come over against the lugs I4. Manifestly, the parts may be again disengaged by turning the latches backwardly (or clockwise), to bring them from beneath the lugs I4.

It is to be noted that when the parts have been engaged and locked together in the above manner, no amount of force exerted between the skull and mortar-board portions can serve to disengage them from each other (short of a force sufficient to damage or disrupt the parts), since the pivoting of the latches is accomplished on axes which lie transverse of or normal to the plane of the mortar-board proper, so that there is no danger of the parts becoming disengaged accidentally, and when in service, with consequent embarrassments, etc.

While I have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of the features of my present invention, still I do not intend to limit myself thereto, except as I may do so in the claims to follow.

The latches I8 may, if desired, be formed with offsets 2l as well shown in Figures 4 and 5, so that a certain amount of springiness is thus provided in the latches themselves. By this means when each latch is forced into engagement with the corresponding lug I4 it will wedge into place under spring pressure, thereby assuring a tight locking action; and this will further prevent any possible rattling of looseness between the parts after a large number of locking and unlocking operations.

I claim:

l. A mortar-board cap comprising a skull portion and a mortar-board proper therefor, together with means to releasably connect said parts together, said means comprising a plate connected to the mortar-board proper and having a downwardly extending L-shaped lug with its tine lying substantially parallel te the plane of the mortar-board proper, and another plate connected to the skull portion and provided with an opening to accommodate the said lug to permit the tine thereof to lie below the face of the skull portion, and a latch member pivotally connected to the plateof the skull portion and rockable about an axis normal to the plane of the mortar-board proper, whereby when said latch is in one position it engages the tine of the lug, and locks the parts together, and whereby when the latch is turned to another position it is completely disengaged from the said tine to permit disengagement of the mortar-board proper from the skull portion, substantially as described.

2. A mortar-board cap comprising a skull portion and a mortar-board proper therefor, together with means to releasably connect said parts together, said means comprising a plate connected to the mortar board proper and having 'a downwardly extending L-shaped lug with its tine lying substantially parallel to the plane of the mortar-board proper, and another plate connected to the skull portion and provided with an opening to .accommodate the said lug to permit the tine thereof to lie below the face of the skull portion, and a latch member pivotally connected to the plate of the skull portion and rockable about an axis normal to the plane of the mortarboard proper, the tine of the lug having a relieved end to receive the latch with a wedging action, substantially as described.

3. A mortar-board .cap comprising a skull porskull portion in registry with each plate of the mortar-board proper, each such skull plate having an opening to accommodate the corresponding lug of the mortar-board proper plate, and a latch pivotally connected to each of the skull portion plates for rocking movement about an axis normal to .the plane of the mortar-board proper, and said latches being suitably located for simultaneous engagement with the lugs of the mortarboard proper plates, whereby when the latches are engaged with their respective lugs, the parts are held against lateral disengagement from each other by reason of the opposition of the placement of the lugs, substantially as described.

4. A mortar-board cap comprising a skull portion and a. mortar-board proper therefor, together with means to releasably connect said parts together, said means comprising an L-shaped lug connected to the mortar-board proper and having a tine lying substantially parallel to the mortar-board proper, the skull portion being provided with an opening to accommodate said lug, together with a latch pivotally connected to the skull portion in position for engagement with said lug when said latch is turned into one position, and to disengage from said lug when the latch is turned into another position, said latch being pivoted on an axis transverse with respect to the mortar-board and skull portions at the engaging location, substantially as described.

5. A mortar-board cap comprising a skull portion and a mortar-board proper therefor, together with means to releasably connect said parts together, said means comprising a hook member connected to the mortar-board proper, together with a latch pivotally connected to the skull portion for rocking movement about an axis transverse with respect to the mortar-board proper and the skull portion, whereby when said latch Is turned into one position it engages the hook member, and when the latch is turned into another position it releases the parts from each other, substantially as described.

6. A mortar-board cap comprising a skull portion and a mortar-board proper therefor, together with means to releasably connect said parts together, said means comprising a pair of hook members connected to the mortar-board proper and extending downwardly therefrom, and having their hooks facing in opposition to each other, together with companion latches pivotally connected to the skull portion, for rocking movement about axes extending transversely with respect to the mortar-board proper and the skull portion at the point of location of said latches, said latches being adapted for engagement with the respective hooks of the mortar-board proper, whereby when said parts are engaged with respect to each other said latches are retained against lateral disengagement from the hooks,

substantially as described.

FRANZ K. KRAG. 

